Chapter 373 In the Name of Heavenly Prison

Chen Guanlou originally thought that his biggest relationship with the death of Manager Liu was to help with the funeral arrangements, and there was nothing else he could do.

On the day of the burial, someone from the Hou Mansion came to him and said that the chief steward had invited him.

How rare!

He was so curious, what did the butler need to see him for? There are many talents in the Hou Mansion, and the power that the chief steward can exert with just one order is astounding. He doesn't think there's anything about him that deserves the other person's attention.

The surname of the chief steward is Chen, from the Chen family. His surname was not Chen originally, but his father was given the surname Chen by the deceased old master after he was given a high position by the Hou family. He has been with the elder since he was a child, first as a reading companion, then as a personal servant, then as a steward, and then as a butler.

The bond between him and the eldest master is unparalleled by others. It was the feeling of growing up together, the feeling of living and dying together. Anyone can betray the great master, but not the great butler.

Because of this kind of affection, the chief housekeeper has a detached status in the house, and even the old lady has to give him a little favor. Regarding external affairs, the second master basically handles the small matters, while the big housekeeper takes care of the big ones.

Of course, the second master would definitely not see it that way. The second master has a very high opinion of himself and has always looked down upon the housekeeper. However, the housekeeper always abides by his duties and makes no mistakes in his conduct. Even though he was threatening people, he was still polite and polite, which made people feel uncomfortable.

Chen Guanlou met the butler in the pledge room of the big house.

The butler was old and his eyes looked a little cloudy.

He looked at Chen Guanlou with deep eyes and no unnecessary expression, "Brother Lou is here, sit down and drink tea."

"I wonder if the chief steward has asked me to come here. What do you want me to do?"

"Don't worry, let's drink tea first."

Tea and snacks were served.

Chen Guanlou loves Houfu's dim sum very much. You can't even eat it outside, and it doesn't matter if you have money. He was not polite, grabbed some snacks, swallowed one first, and then took a sip of tea. The aroma of tea overflows.

For a tongue that has been nurtured by the fine tea leaves of Houfu, as soon as the tea enters the mouth, one knows that the tea leaves are excellent. I just can't tell the specific variety. Anyway, they are all good things that you can’t eat or drink outside.

The wealth of the Hou Mansion is evident.

"Brother Lou, how about working as a sergeant in Tianlao for a few years?"

"Thanks to the housekeeper, everything is fine."

"You are capable. Without relying on the Marquis Mansion, you can be promoted to jailer in just a few years just by relying on your own ability, which is better than your father."

Chen Guanlou smiled implicitly. He had heard similar words a lot, and almost everyone said that he was better than his damn father. He was both a Tianlao errand, but his father sat on the bench for several years and could only get a little bit of dregs for every penny he got. He started working as a jailer in Tianyao Prison, and he could get a big share of the money. Everyone who met him would say that he was capable.

Now that he is a jailor, money really flows through his hands. The rules of Tianlao are that if you pass a move, you will score a move. So he is not short of money.

"You have been in Tianlao for several years, and you should have a few people who can be used."

"There are a few. Does the chief steward need my help for something? I am Chen Jiazi. If the chief steward has anything to do, just give me your instructions." Chen Guanlou said politely.

The butler seemed to be still hesitating and had not really made up his mind. Meeting today is more like an inspection.

"I do have an errand here, and you may need to come forward. I just don't know if you dare?"

Chen Guanlou did not accept everything, but asked: "May I ask what the errand is? But which noble person wants to stay in the Tianlao?"

"That's not the case." The butler pointed and tapped the table gently, "I heard that you have been helping with the Liu family's funeral these past few days. Thank you for your hard work."

"It's not hard work, it's all what I should do. I was able to successfully go to Tianlao to take my father's place, thanks to Manager Liu."

"You are a kind person, very kind. The errand I mentioned is somewhat related to the deceased Manager Liu."

Chen Guanlou raised his eyebrows, hesitated for a moment, and said simply: "Butler, you might as well say it directly. If it can be done, I will try my best to do it."

The chief steward seemed to have finally made up his mind and made a decision, "I want you to use the name of Tianlao to go to other places to escort a batch of goods to Beijing, and take someone with you by the way."

Um?

Chen Guanlou thought to himself, escorting goods is fake, but bringing people is real. Could it be that the death of Manager Liu was because of something wrong with the person he was taking care of?

"In the name of Tianlao? Is this appropriate? I'm just a jailer, and I don't have the opportunity to go out of Beijing on official business. Escorting and other errands are all the work of the Yamen servants."

"It doesn't matter! There's no problem with Tianlao. I can ask the superiors to give you an official document for the business trip. The key is the goods and people."

"The Hou Mansion has a large number of capable people, and warriors are not rare. No matter how valuable the goods or people are, if a large number of warriors are sent out, under the banner of the Hou Mansion, they will be able to be successfully transported to the capital."

Unexpectedly, the butler shook his head repeatedly.

He explained: "The banner of the Hou Mansion is too eye-catching, and the warriors are also eye-catching, and it is easy to attract Xiaoxiao's prying eyes. In the name of official duties, it is more convenient and safer."

Chen Guanlou:......

He became more and more curious about what kind of goods and people were being transported, and why they wanted to go to war in such a big way.

"If the butler is afraid of being robbed on the way, he can ask the Six Gates, Jinyi Guards or even local guards to help escort him in the name of the Marquis Mansion."

"No! The Jinyi Guards are His Majesty's hawks and dogs. How can the Hou Mansion send them at will? The six gates are busy investigating cases and handling errands. Do not disturb them. They are guarding the local area and are not allowed to leave the area. After much thought, it is more appropriate for you to take the initiative."

Sounds like a very good and strong reason.

However, Chen Guanlou has been in the prison for many years, and he knows that the butler's reasons can only fool people who don't know how to do it. When wealthy nobles are in trouble, they use official weapons for personal use and often send out royal guards or local guards. The Hou Mansion will definitely be no exception.

It is very likely that the goods and people to be transported by the Hou Mansion cannot be known to the local garrison force at the Six Gates of Jinyiwei. There are taboo things in them. It could be goods, it could be people, it could be both.

What exactly is it?

All he could think of was private salt smuggling. However, given the status and size of the Marquis Mansion, there is no need to be so careful when smuggling private salt. It can be transported openly and no one dares to embarrass it. Even if the Salt Patrol Censor saw it, he could only hold his nose and admit it, pretending not to see anything.

How can these aristocratic families in the capital enjoy a century of wealth? Where do they get so much money?

Relying on farming is a fantasy.

Private salt trading is one of the important sources of income.

Almost every family in the capital is involved in private salt trading. The salt on the market is basically private salt. No one knows whose pocket the public salt falls into. This is a bad debt. Salt merchants, government officials, aristocratic families, royal family members, princes and nobles... cannot withstand investigation. At most, if you find it at the government level, you have to press it.

It is even possible that the old emperor was also smuggling private salt. It's just that the old emperor didn't know it himself.